Environmentally Conscious Management
Promotion System
Global Environmental Promotion System
Under the supervision of the CFO of Canon Inc., Canon is conducting environmental activities with the aim of achieving Canon's environmental targets and realizing Canon Group environmental vision. We use a global framework comprising the Canon products operations and Canon Group companies in Japan and overseas. In implementing these activities, the Group Executive for Sustainability Headquarters regularly reports to the Chairman & CEO, the Vice Chairman & CFO, and the President & COO* to obtain approval.
- * As of April 2026.
Moreover, the Sustainability Committee identifies risks and opportunities with regard to sustainability-related matters requiring Canon’s response or engagement, deliberates on response policies and measures, and receives approval from the CEO.
Environmental Management System
Canon has instituted a common environmental management system (EMS) in line with the ISO 14001 standard covering Group operational sites worldwide. To promote environmental assurance activities (Do) that are linked with the activities of each division (products operations, operational sites, and Group companies), the EMS identifies priority issues, risks, and opportunities in the environmental field and sets annual and medium-term environmental targets (Plan) based on these, which are reflected in our business activities. Moreover, we carry out Environmental audits to check the progress of initiatives as well as any issues to be addressed in each division, and Environmental and CSR performance assessments, to assess our environmental performance (Check). We then work to continually improve and enhance our environmental assurance activities (Act). The Sustainability Committee also uses this PDCA cycle to manage risks and opportunities it has evaluated and identified through deliberations. By implementing the PDCA cycle for environmental assurance activities of each division, we achieve continual improvement and reinforcement and advance the environmental assurance activities of the entire Canon Group. The Sustainability Headquarters ensures the smooth management of this system by gathering Canon's Environmental Management System information on environment-related laws and regulations, establishing environmental policies and rules for the entire Group, and planning and managing evaluation methods for environmental assurance activities. Reflecting the need for independent, third-party evaluation of EMS effectiveness, all Canon Group operating sites with manufacturing or marketing functions are ISO 14001-certified. In 2025, Canon Inc. as well as Group companies operating in 39 countries and regions (in total, 113 companies/512 operational sites) had gained ISO 14001 certification. The acquisition of consolidated Group certification has supported stronger corporate governance and more efficient environmental management. The progress of activities is one element of the management review used to monitor this area, which includes relevant reporting to and approval of the Chairman & CEO, the Vice Chairman & CFO, and the President & COO* of Canon Inc.
- * As of April 2026.
| Certifications Obtained |
Canon's Environmental Management System
Confirming the Effectiveness of Environmental Management
Canon uses an internal environmental audit to confirm the effectiveness of its environmental management system. This audit is made up of a headquarters environmental audit performed by the Sustainability Headquarters, together with an operational site environmental audit and product environmental audit conducted by the audit departments of business divisions, operational sites and sales companies. Mutual cross-site audits are carried out in certain locations. The results from internal environmental audits are collated by the Sustainability Headquarters and reported to the Chairman & CEO, the Vice Chairman & CFO, and the President & COO* of Canon Inc. via management reviews. In 2025, the audits found no major nonconformity or violations. From the perspective of continual improvement and prevention, we are taking steps to rectify even minor findings relating to operations management, including stricter supervision of the chemical content of Canon products, legal compliance at operating sites, and proper management of chemicals.
- * As of April 2026.
Monitoring of Progress toward Environmental Targets
Operational sites report monthly to Sustainability Headquarters on energy consumption, volume of waste generation, chemical substance emission volumes, and water usage. To monitor progress toward achieving environmental targets, monthly aggregates are reported each month to executives and top executives at major Canon Group companies. Collated results are also used in environmental/CSR performance assessments carried out on an annual and semiannual basis, as well as being used to identify issues in business activities and make improvements.
Environmental / CSR Performance Assessments
As part of our consolidated performance evaluation system, which assesses the overall business performance of the Group, we conduct an Environmental and CSR performance evaluation as one of its key indicators. In this evaluation, in addition to assessing the achievement status of environmental targets at the business sites mentioned above, we also evaluate the environmental and CSR initiatives of each business division and sales company. This evaluation reflects the actual state of activities across the entire product life cycle, including development, manufacturing, and sales (see table below).
